Sunday, September 28, 2014

Will B. Rolling Statue

Here's a very recent, very fun find. It's in Port Byron, Illinois, and is named "Will B. Rolling". "Will" and his Penny-farthing (old-fashioned bicycle) top out at 30 feet (9.14m).

Port Byron is a small town in northern Illinois alongside the mighty Mississippi River.

Fun fact: Port Byron competes with Le Claire, Iowa, each year in a "tug fest". A 2700' (823m) rope is stretched across the Mississippi River for a series of tug-of-war competitions. Tug Fest is the only event in the U.S. that allows the Mississippi River to be shut down.

It dawned on me that I had this postcard in my collection. Soooo, you get a BONUS fun fact: "Will B. Rolling" is a replica of "Big Ben Bikin'" which is billed as the world's largest bicycle, and is located in Sparta, Wisconsin.